7th Street Bridge Over Salt River Closed Until Further Notice In Phoenix

Press release from the City of Phoenix:

February 28, 2021

Phoenix Fire Department responding to the 7th Street bridge fire, south of University Drive, early Sunday morning in Phoenix. The bridge is currently closed. Show Caption Hide Caption 7th Street Bridge Over Salt River Closed Until Further Notice February 28, 2021 5:10 PM

Early this morning, a fire involving a gas line led to the closure of 7th Street north and south of the Salt River, between Broadway Road and the I-17. This portion of 7th Street will remain closed to vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists until further notice. Public access under the bridge is also restricted until further notice. Fire is continuing its investigation into the cause of the fire. No firefighter or citizen injuries were reported on scene.

“The next weeks and months won't be easy, but we will get through it,” said Mayor Kate Gallego. “The City of Phoenix will do everything in its power to improve traffic flow and transit options, especially for those who live and work south of the River.

“I particularly want to thank Phoenix Fire for their swift response and handling of this incident. I appreciate work on the part of the Street Transportation, Parks and Public Transit departments for what they've done so far and all the work that's yet to come.”

Detours

As work continues in this area, the City of Phoenix asks for your patience. Please allow extra time when traveling through this area, take an alternate route, and always slow down in work zones to keep both yourself and crews safe.

People driving, walking or biking are asked to avoid this area when possible. Recommended detours:

• East: 16th Street or 24th Street

• West: 7th Avenue or even 19th Avenue

• Due to the continuing work on the South Central Light Rail Extension, we do not recommend Central Avenue as an alternative route.

• Those needing local access (local traffic) to the closed area will be permitted.

Bus Service Impacts

Phoenix Bus Route 7 (7th Street) is on detour between I-17 and Broadway Road. Riders can check out detour details on Twitter @valleymetro or valleymetro.org/rider-alerts.

City Parks, Preserves and Trails

• Natural trails running in either direction under the bridge are closed until further notice.

• The Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area’s 7th Street Trailhead will be closed until further notice, and 7th Street is closed prior the access point to the trailhead.

• If accessing the natural trails from other designated Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area trailheads to the east or west of the 7th Street bridge, trail users will be required to stop and return to their original starting point and not pass under the 7th Street bridge.

• City staff will continue to monitor any environmental impact.

Timeline

There are many variables to re-opening the bridge. At minimum, the bridge is expected to be closed for a several months, but depending on the severity of the damage, it could be longer.

The city and its partners will be diligently working to make repairs and re-open the bridge. Safety of roadway users is the top priority.

This press release was produced by the City of Phoenix. The views expressed here are the author’s own.